Medication Trap

@Former-Member When I first started on this forum 2 years ago I was much more resistant to medication and had seen heaps of negative side effects in my family members. However No doctor had ever made the suggestion that I should be on more, so there was never any sense that I was non-compliant.

@BambiFawn 10 years not in hospital after enduring such severe sypmtoms is definitley worth celebrating.

2 years ago, after 2 social bullying incidents my emotionality sky rocketed where it had been stable for over 12 years in a labile kind of way, but I had artistic temoperament or something. I had almost come off antidepressants. So after the incidents where I could not even cope with going to the local supermarket and feel sure I would not be wracked with a sudden rush of tears, my meds have steadily risen and broadened in type. I was angry at first as diabetes, weight gain, cognitive deficits and TD loomed large in my mind.

Although I am not new to MH issues I am fairly new to the med issue.

Currently there is a genuine attempt to treat me and that includes the strategies others mention of minor adjustments up & down ... which is different from yo yo ing.

@Former-Member I had a bIg sense that I was not worth it for a long time. YOU are worth it. You are young and have many talents. I just hope you can nurture something (a flame or a warm coal??? ) in your being and have experiences that lead you to appreciate it.

10 years ago, I had a wise and sensitive and supportive doctor who eased me on to anti chol and hypertension meds and I took supplements. I managed to get levels within reason and so now I am mainly on mh meds. At that time it was still painful for my neck to sneeze or cough, I am much better physically now. Incomparable.

I guess my attitude is more accepting now than when I started posting. Meds have given me some quality of life. I no longer need to play piano for performance so the co-ordination issues are not so serious and I have substituted it with singing so I still have musical outlets.

Sorry to hear about your chronic back problems.

I can relate to your slow release medications. I was on them for many years,

What cured it was intense amounts of exercise everyday for 5 months. I never took pain meds since.

Whats ironic is it took diagnosis of mental illness for me to believe in myself and at the same time reject diagnosis of doctors who told me I did end up in wheelchair or worse die due to rare muscular disease.

Hence why my current dilemma, I dont seem to be able to accept my Mental Illness diagnosis. I believe I can overcome it without meds. Sadly I am mistaken. I will have to take these meds for life.

I have been trying for years, and I still hear voices. Nobody likes to be victim. It feels that way when you know you could be wrong and its your illness and not people having a go at you. It feels like either you are allowing strangers bully you or just sensitive and weak. Sad reality.

Yes @Former-Member I think it is important to keep moving to manage back pain, but i also had to allow myself to rest. Its all about BALANCE. I have been active all the way through but that the tissue damage is clear and degenerating. Over use has also been part of my problem. SO its been 25 years of trialling different physical rehab approaches as necessary, the main damage was done back then.

My latest approach is a mix of volunteering in an active outdoors facility, (zoo) stretching walking and exercises at home.

My experience has also shown that some people can find some quality of life without meds. They were my mother and ex husband. Mother was med free for 60 years, but We children all suffered as there were strange denials and projections causing serious neglect and harm. I read a legal statement which described her situation as unmanaged. SO maybe its best not to think of it as a cure.

It is a very personal and individual issue, but I like your openness and processing of it.

That is also what I am trying to do.

I do have to admit that since I have started low dose nueropleptics I sleep better and that gives many on flowing benefits. I suspect I have been unmanaged too, but not for want of trying to get help.

Cheers @Former-Member and I hope you gain a lot from reading and sharing on the forums.

Thank you for your honest reflection.

I do consider myself lucky I was able to overcome my back issues sooner than later.

I am not judging anyone who is struggling with back issues, everyones case is different.

I think I need to be more thankful and count my blessings for progress I have made. Some people with my illness arent as fortunate as they dont respond well to treatment/ meds.

One thing I need to start doing is live life with some urgency than waiting for things to go bad again.

@Former-Member

That impulse to embrace life is the most powerful antidote of all to MI.

I have posted about my day today at the zoo here and here .. just to give you an idea, and help you meet the others posting in the thread.

There are many really wonderful people that post on these forums. Different backgrounds, personalities, issues and opinions.

I hopw the " here" links make sense I am trying to learn how to do it.

Cheers

Hello @Former-Member , you wrote ---- I agree 100%. I will have to stay vigilant in my recovery and not take meds for granted. My GP did say if I yo yo with the meds, they might stop working.

My husband yo yo with his meds , he starts cutting back , things start appearing and he starts to feel unwell or I say " you need to go back on the meds again and stay on them " , but he will until next time

I have CKD stage 4 and have to take meds everyday and i am trying to tell him to take them